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IBS podcast adds expert interviews to support digestive health PodcastingToday People living with irritable bowel syndrome can hear directly from UK digestive health specialists in a new interview series on the Inside Knowledge for people with IBS podcast. Hosted by Bristol based nutritional therapist Anna Mapson, the series brings together medical and health professionals to discuss symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, wind and irregular bowel movements. Guests already featured include consultant gastroenterologist Professor Hayee, NHS GP Dr Ewart, a pelvic health physiotherapist and a hypermobility specialist. The aim is to provide listeners with evidence-base…

Digestion. 2026 Jun 1:1-18. doi: 10.1159/000552817. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Background/Aims Evidence-based pharmacological options for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) remain limited, and complementary approaches are of interest. We evaluated the real-world effectiveness of hangeshashinto (TJ-14), ramosetron, and their combination in patients with IBS-D or mixed-type IBS (IBS-M). METHODS This retrospective observational pilot study included 56 patients with IBS-D/IBS-M treated for 4 weeks with ramosetron (n=12), hangeshashinto (n=31), or combination therapy (n=13). Symptoms were assessed at baseline and week 4 using the Izumo scale. Within-group chan…

Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2026 May;38(5):e70345. doi: 10.1111/nmo.70345. In a subset of patients, their IBS symptom course corresponds with the severity of their psychological comorbidities. This indicates that psychological distress as a predominant symptom may constitute a distinct phenotype of patients with IBS and require an augmented treatment algorithm. Future studies should determine psychological screening criteria and tools to identify these patients and assess unique treatment needs for those with clinically significant psychological comorbidity. PMID:42212822 | DOI:10.1111/nmo.70345 View the full article

Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2026 May;38(5):e70364. doi: 10.1111/nmo.70364. Gut-directed hypnotherapy (GDH) is an established, clinician delivered, brain-gut behavior therapy for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) [1]. Unfortunately, despite considerable evidence-base [2] and recommendation in clinical guidelines [3], access has remained limited outside of specialist centres and these clinicians often have long wait times for services. In recent years this has led to innovations to upscale access. Recent initiatives include shorter courses of GDH [4], group sessions [2], GDH training for allied health professionals [5], and novel modes of delivery including GDH delivered by nurs…

Doctors Warn These Overlooked Factors Could Explain Why You're Always Constipated HuffPost “Sleep deprivation disrupts normal colonic function,” she said. Your colon operates on a 24-hour circadian rhythm, and that includes regulating the movement in your gut, McAbee explained. Your gut tends to be more active in the morning and slow down at night ― lack of sleep can throw this cycle off, raising the odds you’ll get stopped up. Not getting enough sleep impacts your gut-brain axis and increases your body’s production of stress hormones like cortisol, noted Dr. Jeremy Polman, a gastroenterologist at Northwell’s Lenox Hill Hospital. Unfortunately, higher cortisol levels are…

Biology (Basel). 2026 May 20;15(10):808. doi: 10.3390/biology15100808. ABSTRACT Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a multifactorial functional intestinal disorder whose pathogenesis involves intestinal microbiota imbalance, mucosal barrier impairment, immune-inflammatory responses, and dysregulation of the gut-brain axis. Lactobacillus reuteri has been shown to modulate the gut microbiota, produce antimicrobial metabolites, strengthen the intestinal mucosal barrier, suppress inflammatory responses, and participate in gut-brain axis regulation, thereby potentially contributing to the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis and the alleviation of IBS-related symptoms. These fi…

Front Psychol. 2026 May 7;17:1785045. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1785045. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) and eating disorders (EDs) frequently coexist with one another. It is not unusual for a patient to present with both diseases because they share many similarities with reference to the deeper psychological factors and the connection between the gastrointestinal tract and the brain. Many studies have shown that while the occurrence of FGID in eating disorder patients is noteworthy, it varies greatly, mostly due to disparate research approaches. This review aims to synthesize 2015-2025 evidence on ED-FGID associations,…

J Med Internet Res. 2026 May 21;28:e87216. doi: 10.2196/87216. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional gastrointestinal disorder that reduces quality of life and causes a heavy medical burden. Internet-based self-help interventions are flexible and scalable, showing potential for IBS symptom improvement, but relevant evidence is fragmented and lacks systematic review. OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to comprehensively evaluate the effects of internet-based self-help interventions on symptom severity, quality of life, and visceral sensitivity, as well as comorbid depressive and anxiety symptoms, in individuals with IBS. METHODS: O…

Rifaximin and Low FODMAP Diet Provide Comparable Symptom Relief in IBS-D: Study Medical Dialogues USA: Researchers have found in a randomized trial that both rifaximin and a low FODMAP diet provide similar improvement in symptoms for patients with Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Diarrhea, suggesting either approach can be an effective treatment option. A new study published in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology by Allen Lee and colleagues from the University of Michigan provides fresh insight into how these two commonly used therapies compare, while also exploring whether gut microbiome patterns can help predict which patients are more likely to benefit. Irritable Bo…

Amitriptyline as Second-Line Therapy Improves Symptoms in Adults With Irritable Bowel Syndrome American Academy of Family Physicians | AAFP Clinical QuestionDoes titrated, low-dose amitriptyline improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults for whom first-line therapies have been ineffective? Bottom LineThe study, comprised largely of adults with IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) or IBS with diarrhea mixed with constipation (IBS-M) of at least moderate severity despite first-line therapy, found that titrated, low-dose amitriptyline was more effective than placebo in improving symptoms. (Level of Evidence = 1b) SynopsisThe researchers recruited adults with IBS from…

Primary Bile Acid Diarrhea: A Narrative Review of Pathophysiology, Diagnostic Challenges, and Emerging Therapeutic Strategies Cureus Primary bile acid diarrhea (BAD) is a clinically relevant cause of persistent watery diarrhea caused by high bile acid production and poor enterohepatic feedback regulation. A growing body of evidence suggests that disrupting the farnesoid X receptor-fibroblast growth factor 19 (FXR-FGF19) signaling pathway contributes to aberrant bile acid metabolism and increased colonic output. Despite increased understanding of its link with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), primary BAD remains difficult to diagnose due to overlappi…

J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2026 May 8. doi: 10.1111/jgh.70421. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND AIM: Postbiotics, preparations of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components with health benefits, may offer potential advantages in the management of IBS, but evidence remains limited. We conducted the first systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the efficacy and safety of postbiotics in adults with IBS. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science were searched from inception to August 2025 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing postbiotics with placebo in adults diagnosed with IBS by Rome III or IV criteria. Primary outcomes were ch…

J Clin Gastroenterol. 2026 May 1. doi: 10.1097/MCG.0000000000002388. Online ahead of print. ABSTRACT Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a disorder of gut-brain interaction with symptoms including abdominal pain associated with a change in stool form or frequency. IBS global prevalence is around 4% and its impact on patient's quality of life and social functioning is substantial. Multidisciplinary working teams of the Israeli Society of Neurogastroenterology and Motility evaluated all validated approaches to IBS management. The aim was to develop a national, evidence-based position document on IBS management for general practitioners and adult and pediatric gastroenterologi…

Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2026 May;38(5):e70328. doi: 10.1111/nmo.70328. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Gut-directed hypnotherapy is an effective treatment for patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Group delivery and nurse-led hypnotherapy can increase availability. Online treatment shows promising results, but this has not been tested in a group format. AIMS: To investigate the acceptability and efficacy of nurse-led, online group hypnotherapy in patients with IBS. METHODS: Patients received eight sessions of gut-directed hypnotherapy in groups via live video conferencing. IBS symptoms were assessed at baseline, mid-treatment, after treatment, and at follow-up. Patients wh…

Glasgow, Scotland, 7 July 2026 – EnteroBiotix Limited (“EnteroBiotix”), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing orally delivered full-spectrum microbiome therapeutics for gastrointestinal disease, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in RISE, its Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating EBX-102-02 in moderate-to-severe irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C), marking an important milestone in the Company’s clinical development programme. EBX-102-02 is EnteroBiotix’s lead next-generation, orally delivered, full-spectrum investigational microbiome therapeutic, designed to restore gut microbial ecosystem function, an underlying driver of I…

Antibiotics After GI Infections Raise IBS Risk Medscape TOPLINE: Patients who used antibiotics, especially for gastrointestinal (GI) infections, had a higher risk of developing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) than those who did not use antibiotics. METHODOLOGY: Antibiotic use has been linked to changes in gut microbiota and an increased risk for new-onset IBS. Prior studies have examined the associations between antibiotic use, gut microbiota, and IBS both generally and specifically after GI infections, but findings have been inconsistent. Researchers conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of three databases through June 2025 to compare new IBS diagnoses in patie…

Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2026 Apr;38(4):e70315. doi: 10.1111/nmo.70315. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Although the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions for improvements in IBS symptoms has been demonstrated, the specific neural mechanisms contributing to these changes remain unclear. METHODS: A single arm interventional design was employed to explore functional brain network changes underpinning IBS symptom improvement in response to an 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) intervention. Differences in brain resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) changes between 32 MBSR Responders and 16 Nonresponders with IBS after MBSR were computed using general linear …

Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2026 Apr;38(4):e70292. doi: 10.1111/nmo.70292. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Functional Dyspepsia (FD) are gastrointestinal disorders among women of childbearing age, but there is limited safety data on treating these conditions during pregnancy. METHODS: We used the TriNetX global health network to identify women aged 18-51 with a recorded pregnancy, dividing them into those with pre-pregnancy IBS or FD diagnoses (IBSFD) and those without (NONE). After excluding alternative causes of their symptoms, we measured the prevalence of IBS/FD treatments during pregnancy-highlighting FDA Pregnancy Class C or lower agents (CLASS…

BMC Gastroenterol. 2026 Apr 13. doi: 10.1186/s12876-026-04681-0. Online ahead of print. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may significantly impair the quality of life (QoL) of affected individuals and carries substantial socio-economic consequences. Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is recommended as one treatment option for IBS. However, its widespread use is limited by a shortage of qualified therapists, insufficient facilities, and the burden of hospital visits. Internet-based CBT (iCBT) has the potential to overcome these challenges. We aim to evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of iCBT for treating drug-refractory IBS through rigorous methodology. MethodThis …

Gut Pathog. 2026 Apr 11. doi: 10.1186/s13099-026-00819-3. Online ahead of print. The gut microbiome, encompassing bacteria, fungi, and protists, is integral to gastrointestinal (GI) health and disease. While bacterial dysbiosis is well documented in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), fungal contributions and bacterial-fungal interactions remain underexplored, particularly in non-Western populations. We profiled bacterial (16S rRNA) and fungal (ITS) communities from stool samples of Saudi participants with IBS, ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn’s disease (CD), and controls. Analyses incorporated bacterial enterotypes, succinotypes, and Blasto…

Study finds sex- and race-based disparities in IBS diagnosis rates among U.S. adults UCLA Health A national survey study led by UCLA Health and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center found significant disparities in how irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is diagnosed across sex and racial groups in the U.S., with men and Black patients considerably less likely than women and white patients to receive a formal diagnosis. IBS is a chronic condition, known as a disorder of gut-brain interaction, which causes symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea and/or constipation. Between 20-40 million Americans are estimated to be affected by the condition. The new study, publi…

Even astronauts get constipated in space Popular Science NASA packed laxatives on Artemis II for a reason. Travel is notoriously hard on your digestion. Jet lag, dehydration, stress, and even slight disruptions to a regular meal schedule can result in unpleasant bathroom difficulties. But the next time you’re struggling with toilet troubles away from home, try to remember: At least you’re not dealing with it in outer space. “I was thinking about how even on Earth, travel is one of the biggest constipation triggers,” Sarah Jane Bunger tells Popular Science. “[It’s] always going to make this perfect storm of constipation while on Earth. So it’s only going to be more and m…

J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2026 Apr 30;32(2):185-197. doi: 10.5056/jnm26011. Epub 2026 Mar 14. ABSTRACT Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have produced outcomes varying from no effect at all to high efficacy and durable effects over time. This review analyzed differences in the protocols used in FMT RCTs for IBS in the recently published literature with the aim of identifying the factors responsible for the success or failure of these RCTs. The results of this analysis might be useful in formulating an effective standard protocol for FMT in IBS. A systematic search was conducted i…

J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2026 Apr 30;32(2):276-289. doi: 10.5056/jnm25147. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND/AIMS: : Non-pharmacological treatments are crucial for managing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), yet patient engagement remains a challenge. Understanding patients' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding these treatments is essential for improving care. METHODS: : A cross-sectional study was conducted across 5 hospitals, from October 2023 to February 2024. A self-designed knowledge, attitudes, and practices questionnaire along with the IBS quality of life and IBS severity scoring system was administered, and 496 valid responses were analyzed. Statistical analyses includ…

Front Med (Lausanne). 2026 Mar 24;13:1780040. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2026.1780040. eCollection 2026. ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are increasingly prevalent in global diets and have been linked to various adverse health outcomes. However, evidence regarding their association with disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI), such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and functional dyspepsia (FD), remains inconsistent. OBJECTIVE: To systematically evaluate the association between UPFs consumption and the risk of IBS and FD through a comprehensive meta-analysis of observational studies. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library,…